Happy Birthday Docia Zavitkovsky!

04/18/2003

Happy Birthday Docia Zavitkovsky!

"One seeks to equip the child with deeper, more gripping, and subtler ways of knowing the world and himself."
–Jerome S. Bruner

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DOCIA ZAVITKOVSKY

Today Docia Zavitkovsky celebrates her 90th birthday. Child Care Information Exchange featured Docia on the cover of our November 1986 issue. In the cover story we observed, in part . . .

"Once you have met Docia, she is always with you. Her genuine warmth and humor, coupled with her profound wisdom and concern for others, inevitably makes you feel better about yourself and what you are doing. Her boundless enthusiasm; her gentle, engaging manner; and her endless supply of humorous, yet poignant stories have touched the lives of generations of early childhood educators throughout the world."

". . . Docia has contributed 40 years of work on the firing line, in her own words, 'as a parent, student aide, volunteer, teacher, administrator, dispenser of bandages, wielder of broom and mop, interpreter, arbitrator, stage-setter, cook, housekeeper, plumber, lifter and hauler in a number of settings — co-ops, private and public nursery schools, school age centers, Lanham Act Child Care Centers, Indian reservations, bilingual preschool centers, and parent education programs.'"

Docia has guided us through some challenging times with her loving words of encouragement and has always been a delightful friend.

Those wishing to honor Docia's lifetime commitment to children can send a donation to Play Matters!, a non profit corporation founded in recognition of Docia's life and work with the goal of stimulating projects which enhance the role of play in the lives of children from birth through age eight. You can also send a greeting to Docia (on a 3x5 card) for a birthday book to be presented to Docia at a party which is being held for her on April 26th in Santa Monica, California.

Send your greetings, donations and inquiries to:

Mary Wehbi
8903 Carson Street
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 838-2425

For 13 years readers have been treated to a "Docia Story" in every issue of Child Care Information Exchange. You can read Docia's most recent stories in the Free Resources section of our web site by going to...
http://mail.ccie.com/catalog/free_articles.php?type=docia

We have also collected a number of Docia's older stories in our publication Docia's Stories. All revenues from the sale of this book over the next 60 days will be contributed to Play Matters! To order Docia's Stories, go to...
https://secure.ccie.com/catalog/cciecatalog.php?cPath=1

For more information about Exchange's magazine, books, and other products pertaining to ECE, go to www.ccie.com.